Someday Came So Soon
by wemmawriter
Summary: Wemma sweetness! After returning from their honeymoon, Will and Emma find out that her stomach bug is more than just a virus. A journey from expecting to first time parenting.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Emma with the baby carriage! A Wemma baby. Just thinking of a child between Will and Emma makes my heart soar. So here's a little story based on the arrival of a baby that will bring joy and happiness to my favourite onscreen couple. All songs are copyright of their respective owners. Thank you to my Beta Jodie!**

* * *

Something wasn't right.

These ongoing dizzy spells were not making Emma Schuester's life easy.

They would appear unannounced, any time of the day or night. They had no routine, no standard duration, yet the same, unwanted effect each time.

Emma would be at the supermarket, grocery shopping, and suddenly feel the need to pass out. She would stand in line at the bank and would rush to find a chair as her body grappled with the searing pain. Or she would be in bed with her husband, Will, and the room would spin, making her feel extremely uncomfortable, as if she was on the rollercoaster ride of death. It was crippling, debilitating and frustrating.

She had never hugged so much porcelain in her entire life.

For four weeks now, Emma had been suffering. She had visited the doctor when she and Will returned from their honeymoon in the Caribbean. It had been a lot worse when they stepped off the plane in Lima, Ohio. The doctor diagnosed it as a stomach virus and gave her a prescription to help calm her body. They worked for a while and most of the symptoms dissipated, but the dizziness and nausea continued.

There were some days, sometimes two or three at a time when Emma was absolutely fine, convinced she was over her infliction. And then it would start all over again. On and off, niggly, then outright discomfort. Emma hadn't returned to the doctor since the initial appointment as each time the pain subsided, she didn't feel the need to go. Will thought otherwise.

"Baby, I'm so worried about you. I think you need to see the doctor again," Will told her kindly as he cuddled up to her in bed. Her tear-stained face looked back at him, nodding. She then covered her mouth and darted to the bathroom where she threw up for the second time that night. Although, there wasn't much left to throw up. Will rushed to her side, stroking her back and holding her hair.

Emma cried.

Will cradled her into his body, rocking her gently. Her own body was thinner than normal, although she was eating normally, it was getting impossible to keep anything down.

"Make it stop, Will," she sobbed.

"I wish I could sweetie. Why don't you go for another shower and I'll make you some tea." He helped undress her and stood her under the warm water. "We'll see the doctor first thing in the morning."

Will boiled the water for the tea and because Emma's stomach was empty, soft-boiled an egg and made some toast soldiers with butter.

After Emma was settled back in bed, feeling a lot fresher after her shower, Will brought her the tea and food on a tray. He placed his arm around her and kissed her cheek. She felt a bit warm, but that could have been due to the shower.

"My sweet Emma, how are you feeling now?" He dipped a toast soldier into the egg and fed her. She took a small bite and swallowed.

"I'm feeling a little better. Thank you for taking care of me." She bit her lip and smiled.

"It's what good husbands do." He kissed her temple and ran his fingers through her damp ginger hair.

She took a sip of the hot tea. "I'm sorry I've been so sick. This virus doesn't seem to want to budge."

"It's gotten a lot better though, better than how it was when we caught the plane home."

"It must have been something I ate or maybe some bad water."

"It could have been anything baby. But tomorrow, we'll get you checked out again and you'll be back to normal."

"Have I told you how much I love you Will?"

"Yes, but you don't have to tell me. I already know. I love you too."

He watched over Emma as she finished off most of her meal and then returned the tray to the kitchen. Climbing back into bed, he held his new bride against his body.

She yawned. "I'm so tired." Emma closed her eyes, letting her body relax. It was fatigued from fighting.

Will took her hand and spoke softly. "Sleep now Em. You need your rest."

"Mhm. My throat and stomach muscles are sore."

Will put a hand on her stomach, careful not to apply too much pressure in case it made her sick again. "I can imagine they would be. You've been ill a lot. Can I do anything to make you more comfortable?"

"Can you sing to me?" Emma rolled onto her back and stroked Will's face. "Please? It might help me get back to sleep."

Her sad, soulful doe eyes were hard to say no to. "Sure. What would you like to hear?"

"Something soothing."

"Something soothing…" Will thought for a moment. "Okay, sweetie, close your eyes. This song has a very special place in my heart; it's such a beautiful lullaby, one I hope to sing to our children. It's from the Beatles White Album. Good Night, my Emma." Laying her arm across his chest and resting her head on his shoulder, she listened to Will's gentle and calming voice.

_Now it's time to say good night_

_Good night, sleep tight_

_Now the sun turns out his light_

_Good night, sleep tight_

_Dream sweet dreams for me_

_Dream sweet dreams for you_

Emma curled up closer, her eyelashes fluttering.

_Close your eyes and I'll close mine_

_Good night, sleep tight_

_Now the moon begins to shine_

_Good night, sleep tight_

_Dream sweet dreams for me_

_Dream sweet dreams for you_

Emma's breathing became slow and constant: she was finally asleep. Will held onto her hand and kissed her head. "Sleep tight sweetie," he whispered, closing his eyes.

Will was having trouble sleeping. It was 2am and all he could think about was Emma's health. At least there was no school; he could devote all his time to caring for her. It had started out as the most perfect summer either of them had experienced in their lives.

A perfect wedding held outdoors amongst the flora of the botanic gardens. When Emma appeared at the start of the blue carpet dressed in her strapless satin and lace wedding gown, Will broke down in tears. She gracefully walked to the altar, beaming, crying, overcome with happiness, wanting to jump into Will's arms and scream out 'I Do' for everyone to hear. As he lifted her blusher, his heart skipped a beat. Emma looked stunning; absolutely, strikingly beautiful. And Will, in his suit and tie, made Emma swoon. Their vows, heartfelt and sentimental, were their own, reducing the guests to tears.

They said their 'I Dos', emotions building as they struggled to keep from crying. Then, the words everyone was waiting to hear. _You may now kiss the bride_. Will pressed his lips to Emma's, finally sealing their commitment as husband and wife. He took her by the waist, pulling her against his body as she cupped her hands around his neck, drawing him deeper, lips parting, tears falling, heat rising. Emma held her breath; their lips clung together longingly, delicately. Breaking apart, they heard the clapping from guests and turned to face them all, overjoyed to share this special moment with family and close friends.

The reception, held in the ballroom of the Hilton Hotel, ended a magical evening. Slow dancing to Jennifer Rush's 'Power of Love' was intimately sweet and sensual. Emma sung the words quietly to Will as they travelled across the dance floor.

_'Cause I am your lady and you are my man_

_Whenever you reach for me, I'll do all that I can_

_We're heading for something_

_Somewhere I've never been_

_Sometimes I am frightened_

_But I'm ready to learn about the power of love_

The lights low, music filling the room, they concentrated on each other, their eyes expressing more than words could say. Kissing each other softly, they knew destiny had brought them together.

"Just when I thought I loved you as much as possibly could, I look at you today and realise my love for you reaches beyond the stars, beyond the moon. My gorgeous wife, Emma Schuester, you have no idea what you do to me. My better half, my soul mate, my true love," Will told her shakily, clutching her hands as they danced.

Emma kissed his cheek, warmly charged by her husband's words. "I cry happy tears thinking of how much I love you Will. You are the one that stood by me, loved me for who I am, supported me. You are everything I've ever needed in my life. I can't – I can't imagine sharing my life with anyone else but you. I love you so much." Embracing each other, they swayed together, never wanting to let go.

A week-long honeymoon in the Caribbean awaited the newlyweds. Staying at the Sandals Grande Riviera in Jamaica, they decided to splurge and booked the Romeo and Juliet Honeymoon Sanctuary, complete with a private pool. Beautiful views. Private. Peaceful. Romantic. They made love every day. Sometimes twice a day. A culmination of three years of heated glances, hot kisses and restraint made way for something that transcended their wildest imaginings. All their hunger, all their passion for each other freed their bodies into sweet surrender. There was no fear, no hesitation; just Will, Emma and their love for each other.

As their honeymoon drew to a close, Emma began to experience abdominal cramps and nausea. Will self-diagnosed it as Turista, a Mexican term that he picked up and unfortunately was struck down with during a holiday to Mexico. He found a pharmacy and purchased some over the counter medication to help ease the symptoms.

Emma apologised profusely for putting a dampener on their honeymoon. Their last night was spent with Emma in the bathroom for most of the evening as Will packed their luggage for their early flight in the morning. She peeked her head out from behind the bathroom door; she was pale and tired.

"Will I'm so sorry."

"Em honey, it's okay, it happens. Don't be sorry."

"I ruined our honeymoon."

Will stood and walked over to her, taking her hand. "No you haven't. I've had the most amazing week with you. Give me a couple more minutes and I'll help you clean up." He kissed her nose. After he had finished packing, he joined Emma in their roman-styled tub for a sponge bath. She began to relax, allowing Will to dote on her as he had been doing all week. They lay together in the bubbly water, almost falling asleep. They were both exhausted.

Emma struggled on the flight back. The cramps had cleared but dizziness and nausea continued. Will made her take Dramamine partway through the journey home to help her sleep and reduce the symptoms. Once they arrived home, he put her straight to bed and called the doctor, who diagnosed the stomach virus.

But it had gone on for too long.

Will was going to call that same doctor in the morning and make sure Emma saw her as soon as possible. He needed his healthy, thriving Emma back. Shifting his body to snuggle closer to his sleeping wife, Will drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Emma woke early and stretched, feeling in good health as opposed to last night. She looked at the clock. 8am. Will was still asleep. She kissed his cheek and nudged his body, stirring him from the deep slumber that he needed. Opening his eyes, he saw a smiling Emma looking down at him.

"Morning sweetheart."

"Morning honey, how are you this morning?"

"Really well."

"I'm still calling the doctor though. I can't have you passing out on me every couple of days."

"I know, Will."

"Want some breakfast?"

"Maybe just a soft-boiled egg again… with the toast soldiers."

"Ahh, you like those?"

"Yes, I do. It was yummy."

They cuddled for a while longer, relishing in a small moment where Emma wasn't going to run to the bathroom. Will then made them breakfast and called the doctor's office, urgently seeking a morning appointment. His persistence paid off. The appointment was in 30 minutes.

Discarding the breakfast dishes in the sink, they hurriedly dressed and zoomed to Lima's business centre where the practice was located. Emma was still in good spirits, but she could feel some light-headedness returning.

As soon as they announced their arrival to the receptionist, they were asked to go straight through to Dr Michaelson's office.

"Will, Emma, please take a seat," the doctor said politely as she closed her door. As they settled themselves, she asked, "So, Emma, what's been happening?"

"Well, most of the symptoms from my virus have gone, but I'm still nauseated and dizzy. I feel dizzy now, actually. I've lost a bit of weight because I have been sick. Sometimes it can be hard to keep food down."

"Mm… is it every day?" The Doctor tapped away at her computer.

"It occurs every other day, sometimes at night, sometimes during the day, no set pattern, no real warning. All I know is, I just want it gone."

Dr Michaelson continued entering data onto Emma's computer file. "It sounds like the tail end of that virus you picked up while overseas, but to be on the safe side, we'll take a blood sample, in case it's anything that requires further testing. It seems to have gone on for a little longer than I thought it would, which is where my concern is. If you go down the hallway, one of the nurses will do that for you now."

Emma grimaced. "I hate needles."

Will put his arm around her. "I'll be with you the entire time, okay? You can squeeze my hand if it hurts too much."

She nodded anxiously.

"In the meantime, bed rest, keep your fluids up, and try to eat please, regardless. You need your strength. And you need to stay hydrated."

"Thanks Doctor," Will shook her hand.

They left Dr Michaelson's office and walked down the hallway to the nurses' station.

A thin, mature-aged nurse greeted the Schuesters. "So, Emma, we'll be taking a sample of your blood today. Come with me, we'll get you comfortable."

"Uh, can my husband come too?" She asked.

"Sure, that's okay. Let's go." The nurse brought them to a curtained off area and asked Emma to sit on the foldaway bed. Will sat next to her, holding her hand.

"Okay, first I'll just swab the area," the nurse chirpily. "Now," she prepped the needle, "I'm just going to put this in your vein here and take a little bit of blood so we can find out what's wrong. What's that out the window there?" She pointed, distracting Emma. As she turned her head, the nurse popped the needle under her skin, drawing out the blood she required. It was too late for Emma to even register the sting.

"There we go, all done Emma."

Will kissed her cheek, clasping his hands around hers.

Emma looked at her arm; the nurse was already putting a medical strip over where the needle was inserted. "Ow," she said meekly.

The nurse laughed. "That's what I do to all my patients. You did very well. We should have the results in a couple of days, so we'll give you a call. You may need to come in for a meeting with the doctor, but we'll confirm that with you at the time."

"Okay, thank you." Emma and Will left the doctor's office and returned home. Following orders, Emma spent the next couple of days in bed, with Will taking over most of the household duties. She felt terrible that he was doing all the work, but it did feel nice to have someone else take care of things.

"You look cute in my apron honey," Emma grinned as Will brought her lunch in bed.

"My baby's feeling better already; I see the adorableness returning, not to mention that cheeky smile." He leaned down to kiss her.

"I am feeling good. This bed rest has really helped me out. And so have you. Not many men would go out of their way to do things like vacuum and laundry and cleaning bathrooms."

Will stretched and flexed. "Ahh… all part of day's work sweetie."

As Emma was about to take a bite of her lunch, the phone rang. Will picked it up.

"Hello? ...Sure, she's right here." He covered the mouthpiece. "Emma, it's for you… the doctors."

"Ooh, thank you. Can you hold my hand please? I may need it." She took the receiver from Will and he sat next to her, holding her hand.

"Hello, this is Emma. Yes… Uh-huh… Oh… Now? Well… yes, I can. Alright, I'll be there soon. Bye." She gave the phone back to Will.

"What's up? Is it serious? You sounded worried."

Emma frowned. "Um… it's not serious; actually Dr Michaelson wouldn't tell me over the phone. She's asked me to come in and see her though."

"Okay, I'll come with you."

She stopped him. She saw how tired he was. "No. I'll go by myself. It can't be that bad. I think you need the afternoon off. Have a rest."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." Emma changed into some fresh clothes, grabbed her handbag and drove into town. The Doctor has been quite vague over the phone; Emma couldn't help but wonder what was wrong. A stream of red lights hampered the drive in, but finally Emma reached her destination. Her fate was only one flight of stairs away.

She smiled as she walked through the glass doors to the doctor's office. The receptionist called through to Dr Michaelson and she appeared in the waiting room a few minutes later. The Doctor had an odd smile on her face that Emma couldn't quite read. It was scary but relieving at the same time, for if it was bad news, she assumed there would be no smiles at all.

"Hello again Emma, how are you today?"

"Really well today." She sat down. "Yourself?"

"Oh you know as well as a person is that works in a doctor's office. Haha. Look, we received the results of your blood test today and I thought it best to have you come in instead of telling you over the phone. Is your husband here?" She picked up the file from her desk and flicked through the papers.

"No, I left him at home, he's been doing so much work around the house, I thought he needed a break from me and from housework."

"Oh, okay, I was really hoping he'd be here, but I suppose it would be nice if you told him the news yourself." She placed the file back on the desk and clasped her hands in her lap, smiling again.

"Oh? I guess it's not as serious as I thought."

"No, not serious in that way. It was what we thought originally, a virus, but now, it's something else. I'm just going to ask you a couple of personal questions, if you don't mind. When was the last time you had your period?"

Emma gripped the handles of her handbag. _That personal._ "Um… I should be due about now, actually I am a little late, but I would put that down to all the travelling and getting sick. That's sure to make it irregular, right?"

"Hmm… yes, that is possible. Have you engaged in sexual intercourse recently?"

She blushed. "Not for a few weeks, but yes."

"Are you on any form of contraceptive, such as the pill?"

"No, I'm-I'm not. We use protection… c-condoms." She furrowed her brow, wondering where the doctor was heading with this.

"You are aware that condoms aren't 100% protective against pregnancies?"

Emma's stomach filled with butterflies. She began to feel light-headed. And this time, it wasn't due to whatever ailment she had. "Y-yes… what are you trying to say?"

The doctor gave a big smile. "Congratulations Emma, you're going to have a baby."


	2. Chapter 2

A hush fell over the office.

_You're going to have a baby_.

The words echoed in her mind, as if they were spoken from within the depths of the Grand Canyon.

_You're going to have a baby._

It was said so casually, so effortlessly. As if it was something that happened every day, to millions of women around the world. Well, maybe it did. But not to this woman.

_You're going to have a baby._

Emma thought she was going to faint.

Those butterflies fluttered aimlessly, hitting the walls of Emma's stomach, uncontrollable, unstoppable.

"I'm sorry, what?" Emma questioned, colour draining from her face, not believing. She had to hear it again to make absolutely sure.

"You're going to have a baby." The doctor repeated her words.

Emma laughed nervously, maybe a little too long. "No, that's not possible. We used protection. It's not possible. Not possible." The shock when she suddenly realised the doctor wasn't joking caught her off-guard.

The doctor smiled. "It's possible. Would you like to see your test results?"

"Uh-huh," Emma replied, goose bumps creeping over her skin. Dr Michaelson handed her the paperwork. She looked at it, puzzled. The words, the numbers, the symbols, they all swam in front of her eyes. She couldn't focus, she couldn't breathe. The paper dropped to the floor.

Her palms became sweaty. "I think I'm going to be sick. Where's the bathroom?" She clutched her stomach.

"Just out the door and to the left…are-are you going to be okay?"

She leapt from her seat, calling out from down the hallway. "No!" Finding the bathroom door, Emma slammed it shut and reached for the toilet. She gagged, catching her breath. Leaning over the bowl, she coughed and then cried.

Emma wasn't sure if they were tears of joy or sadness. It was a shock, a complete and utter shock. She sat on the floor, back against the wall, trying to calm herself. Closing her eyes, she inhaled then exhaled steadily. _Why not get into practise now_, Emma figured. Her giddiness tapered off and, feeling well enough to stand, walked over to the basin to wash her face.

Cooling herself off, drying her tears and face, Emma stared into the mirror for a long time. She examined her body, beginning with her eyes.

_Will the baby have my eyes?_

She tried to remember the images of herself as an infant. Not much hair, gurgling, bright eyes. Those big, bright eyes that got her anything she wanted. Her mother use to tell stories about how cuddly and loveable Emma was to everybody, regardless if they were family or friends. A happy baby. She wanted the same for her own.

Emma smiled. _My baby. Will's baby. Our baby._

Her fingers, resting on her cheeks, travelled down her neck to her breasts. In a few months, they would fill out as her body prepared itself to feed her child when the time came. A special bonding moment between mother and child; how pleasing it would be to look down to see her little creation contentedly nursing in her arms. Emma turned to capture her body in profile. She imagined a baby bump, a small one, just enough to show that something beautiful was happening inside her body. Then, Emma pictured herself at almost nine months, her belly round and full. She could feel Will come up behind her and rub her stomach, prop his chin on her shoulder and whisper, "I love you two so much."

Emma shivered.

She stroked her flat stomach, fully aware and accepting that the next nine months were going to be the most life-changing nine months she would ever experience. Emma was looking forward to every minute of it.

Dr Michaelson knocked on the door. "Emma, how are you going in there?"

She wiped a single, joyous, tear from her cheek and grinned widely. "I couldn't be better."

"That's great to hear. I have a few things I need to run by you before you leave, so, when you're ready, meet me back in my office."

"Okay."

Emma's reflection smiled back at her. Combing her hair with her fingers, adjusting the thin black belt on her blue skirt and straightening her blouse, she decided she looked the best she could right now. The whites of her eyes were a bit red, but that would pass. Looking at herself one final time before heading back to Dr Michaelson's office, she declared softly, happily, "I'm going to have a baby."

Sitting back in the chair where she heard the news, the doctor chatted with her about her pregnancy.

"You're about four weeks along, but it's really important to keep you as healthy as possible. When you reach your first trimester, there's less danger of miscarriage."

She touched her hand to her stomach and nodded, understanding. Already Emma couldn't bear the thought of losing something so precious. "What about my nausea? Will it be over soon?"

"Your morning sickness should be over in about six to eight weeks. It differs with every woman. Some get it early; some late; some for weeks on end; some not at all. The pharmacy downstairs will be able to provide you with some medication to help ease your nausea. If you find it's not helping, we can prescribe something stronger, but we prefer to leave prescription medicine as a last resort."

"Alright, I'll do that. Uh, because it is my first, and it wasn't, uh, planned… what do I do now?" Emma felt silly asking that question, but she was heading straight into the unknown.

"I'd like to start you on prenatal care right away. Here's the name and contact details of an obstetrician, Dr Margaret Hamlin. She's a friend of mine and will take good care of you, especially since it's your first."

Emma took the business card. "Okay, I'll give her a call." She picked up her handbag and stood to leave for the waiting room.

"And Emma?"

"Yes?"

"Enjoy this part of your life. It's a wonderful journey. Congratulations again." She placed a friendly hand on her shoulder.

Emma nodded. "Thank you."

The pharmacist provided Emma with Emetrol to help with the nausea. She asked for a cup of water so she could start taking it straight away. Drinking the cherry-flavoured liquid down followed by the water, she felt relieved that this would greatly assist in reducing the symptoms. And keep her pregnancy a secret for a little while longer.

While driving home, a tinge of melancholy usurped Emma's thoughts. The questions flowed. She began to overthink everything. _What am I going to do? How could we have been so careless? How am I going to break the news to Will? What would his reaction be?_ They had discussed having children while on their honeymoon, amidst the warm night air in their private pool. Sipping champagne, relaxing in the bubbling spa, Emma wound her legs around Will's waist, sitting in his lap. They kissed; a striking mixture of citrus and passion that made Emma giddy. Will's kisses always had that effect on her. She hoped they would for all eternity.

"I've been thinking, honey." Will played with the frill of Emma's bikini bottoms, kissing her wet nose. Admiring Emma in the in the dim moonlight, he came to the conclusion that even in darkness, Emma's beauty illuminated his heart.

"About what?" Emma asked, her hair in a high ponytail, exposing her elegant, freckled shoulders.

"Babies," he smoothly replied, his lips breaking into a lopsided grin, "Our babies."

"I want you to become a daddy, Will," she spoke softly, watching her hands sweep over his chest, before looking directly into his green eyes. "You're going to be a great daddy to our children."

He placed his hands over hers. "And you'll be the perfect mummy." Will kissed her collarbone. "I can't wait for that 'someday' to arrive."

She tilted her head in question. "Why someday? Do you want to wait a little while?"

"I think we need to have a little bit of time to ourselves, gain some financial independence and enjoy each other's company before anyone else comes along. Are-are you okay with that?" Will hoped she would be.

Emma nodded. "I am. I think it's a nice idea."

"You do? I'm so glad. Of course, that doesn't mean we can't practise for a baby. After all, practise makes perfect." Will's lips dove directly to her neck, heatedly kissing her skin. "And I can't wait to make perfect babies with you." He unclipped the back of her bikini top. "I love you, my beautiful wife."

She removed her top, tossing it into the middle of the pool before cupping his face in her hands. "I love you, my handsome husband."

And now, someday had come so soon.

How were they going to manage? A large portion of their savings had gone towards their wedding and honeymoon. Will wanted to treat Emma to an unforgettable getaway, somewhere tropical, secluded; a place to celebrate each other, sparing the expense. Someplace that was the opposite of Lima. To escape the confines of a regional town; a change of pace.

Having a baby would be expensive. There were doctor's appointments, scans, classes, vitamins, maternity clothes. Bottles. Bassinet. Pram. Change table. Baby capsule for the car. Nappies. Lots of nappies. Clothes. Bouncer. Playpen. They would be unable to live on one pay check this early.

Thinking of every item and the affordability of it all overwhelmed her. It was too much to take in right now.

Regardless, she knew in her heart she and Will would give anything to ensure their baby grew up with all the love, security and happiness they could afford. And that type of upbringing was priceless.

Upon arriving home, Emma parked her car, hiding any trace of pregnancy at the bottom of her handbag. She needed some time to ponder exactly how she was going to tell Will. It had to be creative and thoughtful and take Will completely by surprise. Keeping the news to herself would be hard, but worth the wait to see her husband's reaction.

Bouncing into the apartment, she locked the door behind her and called out to Will. No answer. Zipping up her handbag and placing it on the kitchen bench, she made a beeline to their bedroom, finding Will sound asleep. Curled on his side with his hands underneath his head, Emma endearingly scrunched her nose, admiring her sleeping husband. Trying not to wake him, she kissed his cheek and slid underneath the covers. He stirred slightly, and feeling his wife's body close to his, put his arm around her and sighed.

"Mmm, Em, everything okay?" Will tried to pull him out of his deep sleep, but could only muster limited body movement.

"Oh, everything is fine. Wonderful even," Emma stated, a little too sprightly. "It's the last remnants of that virus leaving my system. Doctor said it should be completely gone in a couple of weeks." She silently praised herself for being a smooth, white-liar; normally it wasn't her forte.

"Well then," Will said, rubbing his eyes, "Why did you need to go in? She couldn't have told you that over the phone?"

Emma hesitated. "Uh… uh… I needed to go through a few things with her, to help reduce my nausea. Nothing to worry about sweetie." She patted his jaw line; the scratchiness of his stubble felt so nice in the palm of her hand.

"If you say so, but I'll always worry about you. You do sound bubbly though, almost back to your normal self, you must be feeling better."

She bit her lip, grinning. "Top of the world." Emma closed her eyes, nestling into Will's warm body. Drifting off to sleep, she tossed various ideas in her head about how to tell Will. Nothing seemed to capture the poignant moment the way she wanted. The 'baby' foods. Done. Putting an actual bun in the oven and asking what it was. Done. Singing a baby song. Done. Just saying it out of the blue. No. It had to be amazing. It had to be extra special. It had to be… it had to be Sunday. Sunday!

Emma sat upright abruptly, her heart beating fast with excitement. Will sat up with her, her rapid movements jolting him awake.

"What's wrong? Are you sick again?" He was ready to carry her to the bathroom if she was having a dizzy spell.

"No, I – I just thought of something. Nothing to worry about sweetie." She lay back down.

With one eye open, Will gave her an odd look. "That's the second time you've said that to me Emma. You're not telling me something."

"It's okay, really. I just remembered I need to get something in particular at the supermarket tomorrow. Come on, snuggle with me."

"You feeling up to a little fooling around?" Will nudged her side.

An amused Emma face palmed herself, slyly grinning through eyes that were growing tired. "That's all you think about, isn't it?"

"It is when I'm in bed with my wife in the mid-afternoon."

"Honeymoon wasn't enough?"

"Nope."

"You." She clicked her tongue. "When I'm back to normal, okay? Right now, I want to rest and then cook my sweetheart dinner as a thank you for looking after me."

"Okay baby," he agreed, kissing her shoulder. "Save your strength. You'll need it for when you've recovered."

"Will," Emma playfully warned, "Cuddle me."

As he cuddled into Emma, she fizzed inside with anticipation of Sunday. She turned her head as tears formed in her eyes; both a result of sheer excitement and fear. But with Will's arms around her, all fear melted away.

Sunday would be D-Day. Or… B-Day.

What better time to tell Will he was going to be a daddy than on Father's Day?


	3. Chapter 3

Emma was simply going to bust.

Sunday had finally arrived. And it had leisurely taken its time. But the clear blue sky, cool breeze and warm sunshine that greeted her as she woke made up for the improbable, yet alleged, delay.

Sneaking around Will for the back end of the week had been extremely difficult. However, Emma had managed to meet with the obstetrician Dr Michaelson had recommended and was already on her regime of pre-natal vitamins. She hid them in the back corner of their pantry, out of Will's vision, excusing herself when in his presence to ensure she stuck to her vitamin-taking schedule.

Her nausea was hanging in there, although the Emetrol helped immensely. For most of the day, Emma felt as though she had been on the water for a few hours in rough seas, or taking an extremely winding road to a destination that seemed unreachable.

Deciding it was too nice to stay indoors, for she was sick and tired of being trapped within the apartment walls, she suggested to Will a walk along the Ottawa River would be a nice way to spend the afternoon.

They held hands, strolling along the shore of the river, taking in the beauty of summer and the surroundings they rarely saw during the school year. They stopped at a small playground for a breather, sitting on a park bench, watching the children play. The area was full of families celebrating Father's Day; mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, giggling and laughing, then crying if they hurt themselves.

Emma rested a hand on Will's leg and happily sighed. With his arm around her back, he squeezed her shoulder, kissing her ginger hair.

"Comfy?"

"Very," she replied, leaning back onto his body. Will paid attention to twin boys in the sandpit, building a sandcastle. They were dressed alike with navy blue cotton shorts and Toy Story shirts. One patted their bucket-shaped castle with a spade, while the other filled a container with more sand. Their collection of Matchbox cars was askew in a pile to the left, awaiting roads for driving.

"Those two must be a handful," Will said about the twins, who were now involved in an argument involving sand throwing. Their mother rushed over to break up the fight before they sparred with spades.

"Oh yeah, but so much fun. They're boys. Weren't you like that as a child?" Emma was enjoying where this conversation was leading.

"I'm sure I was. If I ever have a son, I'd like him to grow up being adventurous and lively like these little guys, giving me the opportunity to run after him, teach him, get him curious about everything that's out there." Will drifted to his faraway place, the place he often visited when thinking about becoming a parent. It was his dream.

She placed a hand on his chest. "All I want for our son is to be happy and healthy and be the spitting image of his father."

Will tilted his head forward. "You'd like a boy?"

"Yeah. Growing up I've always pictured having a boy first and then a girl, so our daughter has a big brother to protect her." Sometimes Emma wished she had an older brother who was there for her when she needed him most. Instead, her only brother, a few years younger, pushed her into a runoff lagoon.

"Huh. Look at us. Five minutes watching these kids and already we're talking about starting a family."

Emma became a little nervous. "That's a good thing, right? We know having a family is in our future."

Will agreed. "It's a great thing. And you know what? Down the track, when we have kids of our own, every Sunday should be like this, spending time together, getting to know the kids better."

"Yes, down the track." Emma pursed her lips with a twinge of sadness. Down the track was a lot closer than Will knew. Having Will in baby mode was so charming though. He spoke so lovingly about being a father. _Maybe_, Emma thought, _maybe deep down he does want children sooner rather than later_. It was so much fun, talking babies and children so freely; it was actually helping Emma feel at ease in preparation for telling him the news. But nothing could really prepare Will for the announcement.

Shaking off her sadness and thinking of her happy future, Emma focused on a blond, curly-haired girl who screeched out with joy as her father pushed her on the swing. The girl couldn't have been older than four; all dressed up in overalls and a pink shirt, barefoot with curls bouncing everywhere.

"Isn't that little girl on the swings pretty?" Emma pointed out, her voice softening.

Will smiled. "She is. I hope our little girl has curly hair."

_He wants a girl. _"Mm. Somehow, I think all our children are going to have curly hair."

"Would you like that? The curly hair?"

"Of course. That way everyone will be able to tell you're the father of my children, sweetie." She patted his head.

"Oh, cute Emma, very cute," Will joked, as they shared a laugh.

"Well, that's why you married me… for my cuteness." She rubbed the inside of his thigh.

"You are cute, Em," Will whispered as he kissed her ear, "Extremely cute." His warm breath, tickling her earlobe, made Emma shiver all over. And then, he sucked gently on her bare lobe, biting down with his lips.

"Will… people are staring," she murmured, noting a few parents were looking in their direction. Emma mischievously smiled, her cheeks turning a light shade of crimson.

"Let them look. We're newlyweds. And all this baby talk has got me wound up. I feel like I haven't touched you in ages."

"I'm – I'm not really comfortable with – with…gosh your lips drive me crazy." As Emma closed her eyes, the gentle boat rocking from earlier now turned into rough seas during a squall. "Uh…I think it's time to go home…"

Will pulled away from nibbling her ear. "You're in the mood too, aren't you?"

"I wish it were that, but I'm not feeling the best." Not only was her medicine wearing off, she realised it was time to take her next lot of vitamins, but she couldn't tell Will that. "Come on." She stood and tried to pull him off the bench.

"Are you going to be able to walk back to the car?" Standing next to her, he took hold of her arm to give her extra support.

"I should be able to. I may need to lie down when I get home."

"Okay, today's been a big day and the sun probably hasn't helped all that much. Let's get you home for a rest."

"Thanks Will."

"No need to thank me, Em."

As they left the families behind in the park, an unsuspecting Will helped his own growing family home for the afternoon.

* * *

The car ride home was a struggle.

Emma wound her seat back, curling her legs underneath her behind, facing inwards. Will drove as carefully as he could, taking the corners slowly so as not make Emma's condition worse. She kept her eyes shut the entire way, regulating her breathing, focusing on anything but the pain she felt.

Upon arriving home, she left Will in the garage as she ran to the elevator that carried her to their front door. She burst inside, scrambling to the kitchen and quickly took her medicine and vitamins before Will could find her. With her head in her hands, Emma placed her elbows on the kitchen bench, trying to salvage what little energy remained. She felt a reassuring hand on her back.

"I'll take you to bed." Emma fell into his arms willingly. He laid her down and kissed her forehead. "Sleep now. When you wake, dinner will be on the table."

"No… I'm… cooking… tonight." She gripped his hand. "Give me… few hours…"

"Let me look after you honey." He pulled the sheet over her body. "I'll cook."

"Please… it's important to me."

Will didn't want to argue with Emma. "Okay, if it's important to you. Just… feel better soon."

She nodded. "I will."

Will checked in on Emma from time to time, ensuring she was okay. While she slept, he had set the table for dinner, caught up on some television and showered. Emma woke not long after Will emerged from their bathroom in his towel. Stretching in bed, she extended her arms to the bedhead, arched her back and yawned. It was almost 6pm.

"Well, this is a nice sight to wake up to," she remarked sleepily as Will changed in front of her.

Stepping into his boxers, Will turned around and crept into bed, kissing her. "Oh, Em, you're awake, how are you, baby?"

"I feel fantastic and you smell really good. Fresh and clean." She sniffed his neck as he kissed hers. "I should go for a shower too. Then I'll make dinner."

"I've made up the table already."

"Aren't you sweet? Thank you." She pleasantly smiled at him, her face glowing.

"The nap did wonders for you, the colour has returned to your face and your eyes are so much brighter. Let me help you out of bed." Will climbed on top of her, leaning down for a kiss. As their lips connected, she entwined her fingers in his curly hair and closed her eyes. As their kissing intensified, he slid his right leg off the bed until it was flat on the floor. She raised her left knee, wrapping it around Will's back as he picked her up off the bed, still biting her bottom lip. Her tongue snaked around his mouth, her breathing quickening as she gasped from their scorching, open-mouthed kisses. Will heard her moan in his arms as she rubbed her body up and down against his. He wanted her so badly, to simply throw her back onto the bed and make love to her right now. With her being so unwell, it had been the last thing on his mind, but now…

"Can you help me out of bed like all the time?" Emma asked, grinning.

"Only if it involves what we did on day three of our honeymoon." Will impishly raised his eyebrows.

"You rascal!" She smacked his shoulder. "I have to go for a shower." Emma escaped from his clutches and headed for the bathroom. She closed the door and then opened it slightly, sticking her head through. "I would much prefer what we did on day four. The morning session." In a split second, the door was closed, leaving a turned-on Will in the darkness of their bedroom.

Within minutes after a refreshing shower, Emma was at work in the kitchen, cooking lamb chops with mashed potato and pumpkin, corn, carrots and peas. As the lamb sizzled under the grill, she put the vegetables on to boil. Once boiled, she drained the vegetables and placed the potato and pumpkin into separate bowls, adding salt, pepper and butter and mashed both until free of lumps. Each food item was set in its own dish on a serving tray that Emma has meticulously arranged.

She called out to Will, who was watching television. The aromatic smell of herbs and the lamb hit his nose instantly and he dashed over to the dinner table within seconds. Will dished out the food and they sat down to eat. Emma was famished for the first time since her illness and subsequent pregnancy, and ate almost everything on her plate. To her, this was a good sign.

As he swallowed the last piece of lamb, Will smacked his lips. "Emma, that was so delicious. It really was. Do you want to lie on the couch together, put on a movie? Maybe do a bit of adult cuddling?" He was about to get up from his seat when Emma stopped him.

"Wait," she started. "I – I have some something very important news to share with you. Something that is about to change everything for us." She fought the emotional tidal wave that was flooding her inside.

Wide-eyed, Will remained in his seat, devoting his complete attention to Emma. "What news? What's going to change? Em, what's wrong?"

"Open you hand, Will," she asked him, breathing slowly, keeping herself composed.

Will did as she requested. She picked up a single green pea from her plate and placed it in the middle of his palm. She closed his hand around the pea, enveloping his fist between her hands. Looking up at him, her eyes glistened.

"Wh-what's this for?" He asked gently, confounded by her actions.

"This," she replied with raw emotion, leaning down to kiss his fingers, "is about the size of your unborn baby." Gazing into the eyes that she was always certain to lose herself in, with tears now making their way down her rosy cheeks, Emma held her breath. _Please, please, say you're thrilled._

"My… my… unborn baby?" Emma felt Will's hand shake. She let go of him as he opened his hand to reveal the tiny pea Emma had rested so delicately in his palm. It fell from his hand onto the table. All he could do was stare at it. _My unborn baby._

"Uh-huh. You're going to be a daddy. Happy Father's Day, Will." Emma wiped the tears from her face.

"We're-we're having a baby? We're having a baby?" His body jerked from the lightning bolt of joy that struck his world. His heart soared with love for the woman who sat before him and the life she was carrying inside. Will's tears spilled down his face; pure elation emanated from his core.

She nodded furiously. "Yes! Yes! Oh yes Will, we're going to have a baby!" They laughed through their tears of bliss, touching foreheads, hands cradling each other's face.

Will's body became weak, feeling just like a bowl of jelly. His stomach swooped from the realisation he was going to finally become a father. "I'm going to be a dad. Oh baby, I'm going to be a dad, I'm, I'm…" He choked up, hugging Emma tightly, their bodies quavering in succession, overcome with rapture.

"I love you, I love you so much my adorable Emma. Oh god Em, honey, you have no idea how happy I am, what this means to me. I – I can't even think about anything else except becoming a father."

Emma kissed him, tears intermingling. They rubbed noses. "We're going to be parents."

"All this time, the dizziness, the nausea – you were experiencing morning sickness. Why didn't I realise?" They held hands, Emma rubbing Will's fingers with her own.

"I didn't know myself until the doctor told me. I really did have a virus. This came afterwards."

"You've been unwell for so long, I – I should have known. I should have done something more t-to help ease the pain. How-how have you coped?"

Bringing his hand to her lips, she kissed the back of his hand. "It makes the pain bearable knowing your baby is growing inside me."

"Oh I – I… you just, just oh… this is the most wonderful day of my life." He shook his head, mouth quivering, his body in disbelief. Envisioning himself as a father, having a child with Emma, was at last going to become reality. It seemed surreal. He zeroed in on her tummy, staring at the exact spot where her body would make room for their baby.

"May I touch your stomach?" Emma pushed her chair back and stood up for Will. He sat on his heels and placed his hands on her stomach, circling gently.

"I'm at four weeks. I've started taking some vitamins and spoken to an obstetrician. I'd like you to come to the next appointment."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." He kissed her belly delicately, resting his forehead against her. Emma weaved her fingers through his hair, crying at the beautiful display of affection Will was already showing to their unborn child.

There was something she needed to ask him. "You're not upset that we're going to have a baby sooner than we planned?"

"God no. Not at all. We're one step closer to our perfect family." He rose from the floor and kissed her, their lips absorbing the tenderness of the other, dovetailing together with each caress. Taking her by the waist, rubbing her sides, he kissed her deeper, their love growing stronger from the good news. Emma moaned as Will pulled her close, pressing their bodies together, enticing her further by sweeping his tongue measuredly around her mouth. She followed suit, sliding hers in and out of his mouth, her hands gliding down to his back, settling on his firm behind. Placing one hand in the small of her back, the other at the base of her neck, he tilted his head, unhurriedly suckling on her top lip. Emma felt like heaven in his arms. Her lips were so pliable and full, he wanted to kiss them all night. The way she squeezed his behind sent torrents of electricity through his body; he was thoroughly relishing her touch. Emma certainly knew how to ignite the fire within.

Breaking away from their heated embrace of celebration, Emma took a step back, put her hands behind her back and lowered her head. "Uh…"

"Is everything okay?" Will wasn't expecting her to withdraw from the kiss so soon.

"Can I confess something to you?"

"Anything."

"I'm scared." She took hold of his shirt, huddling against him. He stroked her back. "I'm scared because this is all new and unexpected and I'm worried that I won't live up to the mother that I want to be."

"Hey, whatever your fears, I'll be right here, holding your hand. We'll work it out together." He kissed her forehead. "I'm scared too, but I'm excited that in eight months, we're going to have someone that's completely ours in our life. Your mothering instincts will come naturally, I guarantee it."

"It's nice knowing you're always here for me. I couldn't do this without you." She hugged him tightly.

"I'm so glad we're doing this together. I love you."

"I love you. Um, there's – there's something else." Emma grinned.

"What? You're actually having twins?"

"Not that I'm aware of." She seductively put her arms around his neck, sliding a hand down his chest, drawing imaginary circles on his shirt. "I haven't made love to you for so long. I want to celebrate our upcoming parenthood."


	4. Chapter 4

It was different this time.

The connection felt stronger, yet the touches were soft and gentle. Warmness surrounded the happy couple, embodying their collective energy, appeasing the absence of their togetherness.

Will had never felt so alive.

And Emma sorely missed him touching her body in this way. Being so unwell during the past month, the only thing she wanted was to return to good health. Sex wasn't even on the radar. But now… oh, how wondrous.

Breaking the news of the pregnancy to Will couldn't have been more perfect. The joy in his eyes, the excitement, even the way he so lovingly kissed her stomach made everything sweeter. Her senses awakened to a whole new perspective on life, on love… and it was fabulous.

Emma felt complete.

As she lay beside him in those minutes before the alarm sounded, she lightly tousled his hair, weaving her fingers in and out of his unkempt curls, and smiled.

Will was sleeping soundly on his chest, his arms curled around his pillow. Emma kissed his bare shoulder and cuddled up to his body. She wondered what he was dreaming about. Maybe he was dreaming about holding the baby for the first time. Or maybe he was having a nightmare where thousands of green peas were being thrown at him by a dozen pregnant redheads. _Please don't let it be the peas_. She had a quiet chuckle to herself.

"It is morning yet?" The mumbled words escaped from Will's mouth. He yawned deeply, turning his head to see his pretty wife gazing back at him.

"Only just. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"Em… it's you." Will sighed with relief. "That's okay honey." He did a half-yawn and rubbed his eyes. "I was at that stage of a dream where you are stuck replaying the same event until you do wake up."

"Oh." Then, curiosity getting the better of her, "What were you dreaming about?"

"You." He stroked her face, his thumb tweaking her chin.

She took his hand. "Tell me."

Will rolled onto his back as Emma lay on her side, arm around his body. "I rushed you to the hospital," Will explained, "and we were in the delivery room. You were pain, and holding my hand, squeezing it actually. But… they dragged me away. I begged to stay but this rickety old nurse who had a grip like a gorilla refused. I saw you through the tiny glass window and heard you calling my name. My first instinct was to call out, but the sound in my voice had gone."

"It doesn't sound like a nice dream so far," remarked Emma, a look of worry on her face.

"Wait, it gets better," he replied. "All of a sudden I was in the waiting room, handing out cigars, you know, like they do in those old movies. I don't even like cigars, so I have no idea how I got them. Just part of the thing, I guess. Some other fathers-to-be were there, smoking away, patting me on the back. And then… then I was allowed to see you. I was nervous. So nervous. You were in your hospital robe, yellow – I remember it was yellow – sitting up in bed. You looked tired but had a beautiful glow. And in your arms… our baby. You smiled at me, just like you're doing now."

She patted his stomach, her grin widening as they held each other's gaze. "I felt so happy. I had so much love for you and the baby I thought nothing in the world could make this moment any better." He kissed her forehead.

Emma noticed the familiar sparkle appear in his green eyes; the same sparkle that used to make her flutter each time he looked at her. Will tucked his right arm behind his head and continued. "I took a step towards the bed, but, for some reason, I couldn't get any closer. Again I tried. Again, the distance between us remained. I ran; but I only seemed to be running on the spot. I panicked. And the look on your face broke me."

"Why, Will, what was I doing?" Emma asked, intrigued yet puzzled, now wishing she hadn't probed any further. The dream seemed to be more bad than good.

"You cried. We tried to reach for each other; you seemed a million miles away. I was panting from running, and I cried too. I wanted to kiss you and hold our baby and something was stopping us from being together. Then, I would go back to entering the room, thinking 'great, a second chance', and the whole thing would start again. I don't know how many times I tried to run to you. And then I woke up." He exhaled, pursing his lips.

"Well, I'm glad it was just a dream and nothing else. Honey?" Her words hung in the air as Will thought just the opposite.

"It has to mean something."

"Maybe, maybe not. You've just been told you're going to be a father. Your subconscious is probably trying to take all the news in."

"What if it means I'm not ready to be a father? Or I'm going to miss the birth? Or what about –"

"And what does the passing of cigars mean? That our child is going to be born in the 1950s?"

"Oh, hardy-har-har. I'm being serious here."

Emma's soft voice of reason took over. "Will, I am too. One bad little dream shouldn't cast doubts like this. If dreams did that to me, well, I wouldn't be here now, married to you, carrying our baby."

Will linked their fingers together. He nodded in agreement.

She smiled sweetly at him. "You and I both know you're ready to be a father. That's your real dream. And nothing's going to come between us and reaching that dream."

"I love how your way of thinking makes everything seem clearer."

"Just think of me as your guardian angel." Their lips connected slowly, reassuringly.

"Hey," Will caught the side of her mouth, placing another tender kiss, "I really enjoyed last night."

"That was definitely no dream." Emma walked her fingers up Will's chest, pressing her index finger against his lips. He kissed her finger, then, taking hold her hand, touched the same finger to her lips.

"It's not your fingers I want to kiss," Will whispered as he pulled Emma onto him, pressing snooze on the beeping alarm.

* * *

Paradise was lying in Will's arms all morning. No school, nowhere to go, just basking in the comfort of her husband's body was enough. It was going to be a lazy Monday.

She was so happy that the early stages of her pregnancy would be through the summer, especially for her first baby. The heat wouldn't affect her as much and cause discomfort. Not that it got boiling hot in Lima during summer months, but she could imagine it would be uncomfortable being heavily pregnant and waddling around in a warmer temperature.

Will kissed her neck. Warm kisses would never make her uncomfortable. "Em honey, I'm going to be the most devoted father I can be to our baby."

Emma turned to meet his eyes. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you," she responded honestly. "That's why I love you so, so much. Our baby is blessed to have you as a daddy."

He twisted his finger around a lock of her hair. "Not half as much as having you as a mummy."

"You're so sweet." She put her arms around his broad shoulders and pressed her forehead to his. Once, twice, three times Emma grazed his lips with kisses. Will ran his fingers over her back, lightly scratching her nightie, making the skin underneath tingle. Emma arched her back like a cat against a scratching post. She was definitely going to rely on Will for massages for the next 8 months. And beyond.

The dream was still bugging Will. Apprehension. That's what it was. It had to be. Yes, he was scared, but he didn't want to be a screw-up father. His parents gave him a solid family upbringing. He wanted to provide for his own family the same way. Will hoped he was up to the task.

"Now I understand your fears. I want to be prepared, to know what's happening with your body, to know what we should expect leading up to the birth and everything afterwards. And to do whatever I can to make it easier for you and the little one." He laid a hand on her stomach, cuddling up to her.

"For starters, you can continue to do what you were doing to my back before. I'm going to need plenty of back and foot rubs and oh…" Emma closed her eyes as Will started on her back again. "That feels… remarkable."

He kneaded the skin at the base of her neck. "I was thinking more along the lines of a couple of books, but I'm happy to help… for the cause."

"The cause appreciates your help. And the books are a great idea. We'll learn together. You can read about it and I can live it."

"Yeah! It'll be a starting point at least. And what about… why don't you ask your mum for some advice as well?" Will cringed as soon as he asked. He felt her back stiffen almost immediately.

"My mother? Uh…" Emma pulled his hands away from her back and turned to him.

Will shrugged his shoulders, attempting to play it cool. "Sure, why not? She raised you."

"Yeah, and did you see how well I turned out?" Emma acerbically replied.

"There's nothing wrong with you honey," Will assured her, desperately trying to move on from what appeared to be deemed a bad idea and had now additionally ventured into Emma's outlook on her own life. "You're perfect."

"I'm as flawed as the Titanic." Emma's jovial response was tinged with sarcasm.

"Hey, we've been through all this. Now, no more, okay? You've come such a long way in the last 12 months and I won't have you thinking it isn't true." His gentle hands rested on her shoulders as he bowed his head to catch her gaze.

"I – I guess I have…" She said, almost inaudibly.

"No guessing. You have. You certainly have," he nodded. Convincing Emma of this was tougher than he ever thought. It hurt him when she spoke of herself that way. Even in humour. It was her own coping mechanism, but how he wished she could see that everything she was made her special.

"I don't feel comfortable talking to my mother about babies. Not at the moment. I want to do things for myself, learn for myself. Learn with you."

"Okay, if that's what you want. But I hope you change your mind."

"Actually, I'd rather talk to your mum," Emma admitted.

Will smiled. "My mum would be over the moon if you asked her."

"Great." Emma sandwiched her hands around Will's. "Well, what do you say we keep the news to ourselves for a few more weeks and then tell your parents? I'd like to hold off telling mine for a bit longer."

"How much longer?"

"Baby's first day of college?" She pulled a face.

He chuckled heartily. "Em, I'm sure they'd begin to ask questions when they hear a baby crying in the background during your weekly phone conversation."

Emma took a breath. "Don't get me wrong, I know they love you, it's just our marriage they're not overly fond of. They don't believe you can handle… me and my problems. Actually, let me rephrase… they are concerned you aren't ready to handle me and my problems. This will only add more ammunition to justify their reasoning." She bit her lip.

Will thought only he knew about their objections for him marrying Emma. "How did you –"

"I know." She wasn't prepared to tell Will how she found out that they questioned Will on coping with her and messy children.

Regardless of Rusty and Rose's objections, Will was always up for the challenge to show that he was right for Emma and would be there for her no matter what. Come what may, he and Emma were going to be together forever. "Well, we're going to have to prove them wrong, aren't we? And we will. Guarantee it. Now, hop into the shower, I'll fix us something to eat. I'm getting hungry."

"Me too. Alright, I'll see you in ten. I've got to take my vitamins with food and I'm behind schedule already." Emma kissed his cheek and walked into their bathroom.

Will watched her walk away, taking in the hypnotising swivel of her hips. "Hey, on second thoughts… may I join you?"

"If you do, we'll never make it to the kitchen." Emma winked and closed the door.

* * *

Fresh out of the shower, Emma joined Will at the kitchen table, where a bowl of muesli and a plate of mixed fruit awaited her. She wore a buttoned-up purple cap-sleeved dress that showed off her still-slim figure. In a few months, Emma wouldn't be able to wear it anymore.

"Did you have a nice shower?" He asked, bringing over two glasses of orange juice to the table.

"It was absolutely heavenly, the second-best start to the day," she easily decided, hugging Will.

He grinned. "Well, I should hope so. Hey, I was thinking," Will mused as he pulled her chair back so she could sit down, "do you know what foods are best for you to eat? I know there are a lot of foods you already do, uh, avoid, but I don't want you missing out on essentials or eating something that may cause problems."

"Actually Will, I haven't really thought about that yet.' She adjusted herself in her chair. "I eat fairly healthy anyway, so I would be under the impression my diet wouldn't change much. But you're right, it's probably best to check. We can do that at the next doctor's appointment."

"When's the next appointment?"

"Next week," Emma replied, pouring some soy milk onto her muesli, "we also have to book my first ultrasound."

"Good. Why don't we Google –" Will stopped mid-sentence. His heart buzzed as a wide grin appeared on his face. "First… ultrasound. We get to see the baby."

She nodded, blushing. "Uh-huh. You excited?" Emma already knew the answer. It wasn't so long ago that Will was seeing his first, albeit fake, baby's ultrasound. Terri was cruel to put him through that, even if it was, in her eyes, perfectly okay in order to save their marriage. It was a crushing blow to someone who so wanted to become a parent.

Will was already feeling misty-eyed. To see the start of a new life moving inside Emma, knowing, first of all that it was real, and second, that he helped create it was going to make for an emotional day. "Beyond excited. I just – oh, it's going to be one of those moments that I'll remember forever. The little… I don't know what to call it. We'll have to think of a nickname for the little bubba."

"A sweet name for our sweet pea," Emma looked fondly at her stomach.

"Do you like that? Sweet Pea? It was the name of Popeye and Olive Oyl's child." Will mimicked Popeye's laugh. Emma giggled.

"Sweet Pea. Yeah, I do." _Sweet Pea_, she thought to herself. It seemed an appropriate name after last night. And so adorable.

"Sweet Pea it is. Now, my big Sweet Pea, eat your breakfast." He pointed at the muesli that was turning into a brown mush.

"Oh! My vitamins." Emma bounced out of her seat and opened the door to the pantry, where she dug into back for the container that held all her tablets. "Ooh. Head spin. Got up too fast." She held onto the pantry door until it stopped.

"Are you okay hon?" Will stood up and guided her back to her seat, taking hold of the container and placing it next to her fruit plate.

"Yeah, just a little weak. I really need to get some food into my tummy." She sipped on the orange juice and took the lid off the container. "I was hiding them from you." Emma took out what she needed, breathed deeply and began taking the tablets one by one. "I'm not a huge fan of downing tablets this big. They always lodge in my throat and taste yucky."

Will sympathised. "I remember being really sick once as a child and gagging on tablets. They were just paracetamol, but so not my favourite. They tasted horrible. Give me those chewable Flintstone vitamins any day. Couldn't get enough of them."

"You took Flintstone vitamins too?" Emma exclaimed, swallowing the last tablet. "Just when I thought I knew everything about you…"

"They were a staple with my morning Capt'n Crunch." Will dug into his cereal, signalling Emma a 'cheers' with his spoon, dripping with milk.

"Which ones were you allowed to take?"

He paused. "Which ones? Uh, whichever ones were next to my plate in the morning. In fact, I used to ask for more so I could play Flintstone families."

"Oh…" She forced a smile and a soft chuckle.

"Why… were you particular about a certain flavour or something?"

She cleared her throat, preparing herself to tell Will another outlandish family story. "Mother would ensure I only ate the Wilma and Pebbles ones. She would buy 10 bottles at a time and spread all the tablets out on a paper towel on the kitchen table and sort the redheads from the 'others'." Emma danced her fingers in the air across the table, visualising the scene. "I used to help her sort them. I could never understand why there weren't any Betty Rubble ones."

Will narrowed his eyes. "You were only allowed to eat the characters that had red hair?"

"The whole ginger supremacy thing. Once, I tried to sneak a Barney and mother had a fit. I had to sit in a corner for the rest of the day."

He put his spoon down. "Whoa. Wait? Because Barney was a blond?"

"Uh-huh. I was only seven. And curious." She focused on stirring her muesli, not taking a bite.

"Em, I…" He shook his head in disbelief. How could Rusty and Rose Pillsbury with their prejudices and intolerances produce such a compassionate and loving daughter like Emma? How did she not bend to their influence? She was the exact opposite of them. Will was astounded that, even with Emma's OCD, she wasn't afflicted with an even worse condition. Even something as innocent as Flintstone vitamins were a victim of their ways. "What did they do with the other tablets?"

"Mother would repackage the vitamins then father would go out at night and leave the bottles at the doorsteps of families that were not of the ginger variety," she stated, eating her muesli.

"Well that's… kind of nice…" Will stumbled over his words.

She sighed. "They were just trying to prove a point."

Will was unsure what to say next. He finished his cereal and then asked, "Looking back, what do you think of the situation now, as an adult?"

"You know I love my parents," Emma reflected, "But growing up, I didn't know anything else. It was what we did. It seems funny now, and telling you, the entire situation seems so ridiculous, yet… it was taken rather seriously. Mother used to call them my 'Emma get better' pills; she convinced me that by the power of red-haired Wilma Flintstone I would return to a 'normal' child. And for a time I believed it too. But honestly, what child would come out 'normal' after this?"

A sad, half-smile appeared on her face. "It was a few years later that I developed my aversion to touched candy."

Will got up from his seat and hugged Emma from behind. "You are amazing. You are the strongest and bravest person I know, and I admire you for being the wonderful person you are." He kissed her cheek.

Charming words from a charming husband. His positive comments worked wonders for her. "I love you, Will. I promise, I promise, I won't do the same to our Sweet Pea."

"I know you won't." He hugged her tighter. "Why don't you finish up your breakfast and then rest? I'll clean up, make the bed and be a house husband for the day. Then I might take a trip to the mall and get some baby books."

"Okay, what are you making for dinner tonight?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

Will playfully scoffed. "Oh, I'm cooking, am I?" He tickled her ribs.

Emma squealed from his touch. "Y-you – haha – said you were going to be-eeee a house husband… I think that encom-encompasses – heehee – cooking for your gorgeous, sexy, pregnant wife."

"How can I argue with that? You are all that and more." He kissed the top of her head. "Alright, I'll start with the bed and then plan for dinner. Love you." Will made his way to their bedroom.

Emma put her feet up on a spare chair. She popped a few grapes into her mouth, put her hands behind her head and grinned.

"I could certainly get used to this."


	5. Chapter 5

There was something about a man who had so much love for someone he hadn't even met yet.

It was very similar to the way a woman reacted when she saw a man in uniform. Or the way a guy would open a jar. Or rescue a neighbour's child's kitten from a tree.

Emma noticed the change in Will almost immediately, but she couldn't quite pinpoint exactly what it was.

Maybe it was in the way he walked, his stride a little more confident. Or the way he held himself: proud, shoulders back, looking like he was ready to conquer the world. Even the way he said 'I love you' each night before they fell asleep sounded different.

Anyway, whatever it was, it was a complete and utter turn-on.

It made her heart beat faster. The imaginary butterflies inside her fluttered their wings to every curve of her body. She felt like she was floating through the sky on a cloud that resembled Will's warm hands, safely cradling her and their baby from harm. Just when she thought she would burst from loving Will completely, he would do something else to make her fall in love with him all over again.

What a man.

Emma's pregnancy hormones hadn't even rocketed from the launch pad yet, but her fever for Will was burning strong. She stared at Will with a dreamy look in her eyes each time he brushed his teeth or folded his clothes. Once, it got all too much. There he stood in his jeans and green Journey t-shirt, drying a plate from Emma's goose-themed dinner set with a tea towel. His muscles flexed as he circled the tea towel on the plate's surface. Leaning against the sink next to Will, Emma stroked his stubbly cheek with the back of her hand. He turned his head, smiling back at her. Her yellow sleeveless blouse and cyan skirt set off her pretty complexion.

"You're so domesticated honey," she purred, delicately grasping his chin, drawing his unsuspecting lips to hers. Such a pleasant surprise. The plate slipped from Will's hands and smashed on the tiles as he took her in his arms. Poor Lucy-Goosy with the blue bonnet and bow around her neck was now in pieces. Emma gasped.

"We'll buy another set," Will muttered as he kissed her back, unwilling to have anything disrupt what was cooking between them in the kitchen. He had to admit pregnancy agreed with Emma. It also gave their love life a boost. Not that they weren't already a touchy-feely couple behind closed doors, but it added a little extra spice to keep it interesting.

"Are you going to get the broom, or shall I?" Emma interrupted, remnants of OCD filtering through their kiss. Sometimes disruptions were, unfortunately, inevitable.

"Broom…" His bedroom voice matched the richness in his eyes. Will peppered kisses on her neck, diverting her attention. "You're a broom. You sweep me off my feet each time you kiss me."

"Ohhh," Emma closed her eyes, the warm breath of her husband gently whipping her skin like a breeze on a summer evening. There was no denying it; Will swept Emma off her feet too. And in one swift movement, the figure of speech became literal.

"Don't want you cutting your feet." He picked her up with ease, her slight frame teamed with his years of dancing and a gym membership made it look like he did this all the time. Securely cradled in Will's arms, Emma rested her hand around his neck, playing with his hair. He was so thoughtful. And manly. Emma liked making him feel manly.

"So brave of you to walk through broken porcelain on your bare feet, just to protect me." She batted her eyelids, acting as helpless as a damsel in distress.

Will put on his best hero voice. "Yes, my dear, it's all in a day's work for Will, the Warrior Prince."

She laughed. "Ha-ha, you're funny."

"And you're gorgeous." Setting her down on their couch, he kissed her forehead. "Stay here while I clean up."

"You know you won't be able to pick me up like that for much longer," she called out to him.

"Yeah, you're right." Will retraced his steps, kneeling beside her. "The little one may not like it." He lifted her blouse. It was still too early for Emma to be showing, although she appeared slightly thicker in that area. "I hope I didn't rock Sweet Pea around too much then. We've got to keep you safe."

"I don't think the little one minded. I didn't." She reached for Will's hand, squeezing it tight.

Emma's stomach received a warm kiss from Will. "Sweet Pea, I haven't met you yet, but love you more than words could express. And I love your mama just as much." As Will's green eyes met her brown ones, he kissed her hand, not averting his gaze in the slightest. Her heart skipped.

He was already playing daddy. Emma loved how Will talked to their unborn baby. It was beautiful to watch his devotion grow each day, speaking a few words with his soothing voice. She felt warm and fuzzy whenever he greeted the little one, and she was positive the same warm fuzzies flowed on to the baby.

Will had read that talking to the baby in the womb was a great way to begin bonding, especially as an expectant father. Even though Sweet Pea was only weeks along, Will wanted to commence his relationship with the baby as early as possible. It was going to get tougher once school started back again, as he and Emma would be spending less time together due to work commitments.

And being a first-time father, he wanted to immerse himself in whatever he could to groom himself into life with a baby. For an hour or so every night, Will would occupy his time reading one of the baby books he purchased, absolutely fascinated. Emma watched on happily as he read, his face serious at times as he soaked the information up like a sponge.

Even at their doctor's appointment a few weeks ago, Will was conversing with their obstetrician, Dr Sandery, acknowledging what he had read and how everything was travelling according to a generalised pregnancy. Both he and Emma were primarily concerned with Emma's eating habits and medication and how it would affect the baby's development. Dr Sandery satisfied those questions with favourable answers. The medication Emma was currently taking would not affect the baby and her diet was perfect, as long as she avoided foods where bacteria could flourish. They also made their ultrasound appointment at Lima Diagnostics next door to the obstetrician.

He felt quite fulfilled after that initial appointment, pleased he had basic grounding on what the doctor was talking about, thanks to the pregnancy books. Normally he wouldn't consider himself a book person, but they were so very informative and explanatory. They held his curiosity and Emma was overjoyed at his passion for learning.

"This is amazing, Em," he exclaimed one evening. "Did you know that during pregnancy, the average woman's uterus expands up to five hundred times its normal size?" From behind the book, his goofy grin of enthusiasm was unmistakable.

Emma put down the soy yoghurt she was eating, pushing it away from her. "And we're done with the tutti-frutti."

He tilted his head and placed the book on the sofa arm. "Oh Em, it's so interesting. The human body is a wonderful thing. Yours, especially."

Tucking a piece of ginger hair behind her ear, Emma squished her lips together in distaste. "Not while I'm eating. I already have a weak stomach." She awkwardly swallowed. Today was quite a good day in terms of morning sickness, but sometimes at night she felt squeamish.

He concurred. "Okay sweetheart. No more uterus talk. But it still is pretty cool."

"Uh-huh," Emma joined him on the couch and removed the book titled 'Birds, Bees and Baby Bumps' from his hands. She flicked through the pages and, upon what she saw, closed the book and playfully whacked his stomach with it.

"Now I know why you bought those books. You're like a teenager with his first Playboy magazine."

"I only read them for the articles," he kidded, stirring her up.

"That's what they all say. You like looking at the naked women," Emma huffed.

"There're naked men in here too," he pointed out, waving the book in front of her.

"Ooh where… let me see…" She scrambled to snatch the book back but he held it out of her way.

"Hey, there shall be no looking at any naked men… except me."

"Jealous?"

"Of what? Pencil drawings of the male anatomy? Pfft. Hardly. Glad to say mine's not drawn on."

"No, it's definitely not. Believe me."

"Oh…" Will's eyes danced as he came up with an idea, "how about I spend the rest of the night proving to you over and over that very fact… hey?"

Emma bit her lip, tempted, but… "I was going to catch an early night honey. With the ultrasound tomorrow and all…"

"I'm really looking forward to seeing our baby." Will's sincerity and genuine passion for the little one he absolutely adored struck a chord with Emma. It made her feel good inside, gladdening her soul. If only she could keep her eyes open.

"So am I. I'm just really sleepy now," she yawned, her body giving in to the night.

"Sure okay, I understand." Downhearted, Will kissed her cheek. All the baby books were putting him in the mood. And he wanted to celebrate the eve of the ultrasound. Emma noticed his sad face straight away. She felt horrible for turning him down, but all she wanted was to sleep.

"Going to brush my teeth." Emma patted his knee and using it as support, stood up. "If I'm asleep before you get to bed, good night Will."

"Night. I'll join you soon." Will returned to his book, reading the same line five times before giving up and tossing it onto the coffee table. He stared at the black screen of the television and exhaled. Will picked up the remote and flicked through the channels, hoping late night TV would hold his interest. He decided on an old movie musical, but after watching for thirty minutes, he grew bored and restless. Besides, his mind was wandering, making it difficult to concentrate on anything except Emma.

By the time Will ambled into bed, Emma was settled under the covers in her pink chiffon nightie, turning pages through a book on baby names. She was having trouble sleeping.

"Em, I thought you'd be sleeping by now." Will rolled over to her side of the bed, the glow of the bedside lamps putting his beautiful wife in a dusty yellow silhouette.

"Are you upset with me for saying no?" She asked him straight. She had been stewing over their conversation for ages.

"Gosh no. I mean, I was a little upset, but I'm not going to force you or anything. We just haven't, you know, for a while now."

She closed the book, putting it on the bedside table. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "It's been two days, Will."

"That's like a lifetime to me."

Emma laughed scornfully. "Oh boy. Anyone would think I'm holding out on purpose by the way you're acting, when in reality it's quite the opposite."

"I'm not acting any way, Em. I told you I understood. Yeah, I like making love to you, and I'd do it every day if I could. There's no harm in that, is there?" He got his defensive back up.

"Of course not, but don't make me feel guilty because I want to go to bed early for one night," she snapped back.

"Whoa. I would never, _ever_, make you feel guilty over sex."

"But that's what you're doing. You're – you're –" Emma wailed a high-pitch note as tears sprung from her eyes. Wasn't it enough that she was overheating on Will and acting upon it every single time? She thought he liked that.

Will was quick to comfort her. Seeing her cry made his heart twist until he could hardly breathe. "Em. Sweetheart. If I did make you feel that way, I really am sorry. Forgive me." Will's father advised him that sometimes it was best to admit being wrong and beg for forgiveness in order to keep the peace. He promised to thank his father for that handy tip when he spoke to him next.

Emma squeezed her eyes shut and nodded. Two months in, pregnancy hormones had now well and truly raised their ugly heads. "The thing is… what's going to happen when I'm eight months pregnant, more tired than I am now, hormones going nuts and my emotional state nothing to brag about? I probably won't want to… do things as much." She looked at him, lips trembling on her tear-stained face.

Will motioned for her to sit up. He put his arm around her, their heads resting on each other. "Terri got like that. She didn't want me touching her at all," he offered.

"That's because she was having a fake baby and didn't have the backbone to tell you she wasn't pregnant," Emma countered, mumbling over her words.

He agreed. "True. But she was really hot for me at the beginning."

"That's because she was desperately trying to get herself pregnant so she wouldn't have to _pretend_ she was pregnant," she exasperatedly reasoned. Why was he even…? Ugh. Sometimes Will could be so oblivious to everything.

He felt the agitation in her body and tried to calm her by holding her hand. "Okay, okay, maybe she wasn't the best example," Will decided, defeated.

"No, and stop comparing me to Terri. I'm not her." Emma let go of his hand, turning her back and wriggling away from him. She was so close to the edge of the bed she almost slipped off. She gripped the sheets to keep her balance and to also let the hurt she was feeling subside.

With his thumb and forefinger, Will roughly massaged the bridge of his nose. He was getting a headache. "I know you aren't. You are nothing like her. In fact, if there was an opposite of Terri, it would be you. But I had nothing else to go on."

"Well I guess I should be thankful for that," Emma said, her tone more caustic than intended. She refused to look at him.

"Ah crap Em. I'm trying to be sympathetic and help you out here," he explained, pushing forward to get out of the mess he created.

"Oh is that what that was? Could have fooled me." Her eyes stung as more tears formed, overspilling, dotting the sheets.

Will threw his head back against his pillow, breathing out his frustration. "What do you want me to say?"

"You've already said enough." Emma stared up at the ceiling. She sniffled loudly in an attempt to show Will she was still upset.

He gave her a sidelong glance and asked in all seriousness, "Do you want me to sleep on the couch?"

The air was sucked out of the room with an imaginary vacuum. Emma held her breath and turned to Will. As her teary eyes connected with his solemn ones, her manner of speaking softened. "Of course not." They had always slept in the same bed since she moved in. In fact, she was certain that if Will wasn't by her side, she would certainly have a restless night. It seemed silly, but her strength came from being close to him.

"Well then, what would you like me to do since talking is out of the question?"

"Look at me. I'm in dire need of cuddles and reassurance."

"Oh." Will grinned, studying her face. "Is that because you're turned on right now? Because –"

"No, Noah Puckerman, I'm not turned on right now. I'm tired." Emma was convinced Will had cotton wool in his ears, because he certainly wasn't listening. Instead, he was paying too much attention to the part of his anatomy that wasn't drawn on and ignoring her needs.

"Fine. Because I'm tired of arguing." He furiously turned his bedside light off.

"Fine." Emma turned hers off as well.

Silence echoed within the walls of the Schuester bedroom. It was deafening. Will pulled the covers up to his ears, curling into the foetal position. Emma tossed and turned in bed, trying to get comfortable. Unresolved issues were lying with them like the pea underneath the mattress.

"Em… it doesn't feel right, going to bed angry like this." He turned his light back on, sitting up.

_Click_. Emma turned her light on too. "I was thinking the same thing." She linked her hands together across her stomach.

"I want to work this out. What we're doing is ridiculous."

She sighed. "I know."

"Just… I'm lost… what were we arguing about?" Emma had him so confused, he was unsure of exactly what they were heatedly discussing anymore.

Emma rolled her eyes. Impossible he had already forgotten. "We were arguing about you sending me on a sex guilt trip," came Emma's cutting remark.

Yes. Now he remembered. She just couldn't let it go. He was hoping for more of a 'who cares, let's just move on' response instead of the all-too acidic reminder. "There was no guilt trip Em. I told you. Are we gonna go around in circles all night? You've made it bigger than what it is. I asked if you wanted to have sex, you said no, end of story."

"And you made me feel bad about it," Emma said indignantly.

"I did not. You made yourself feel bad." He kept an even tone, hoping it would help defuse another quarrel he could see on the horizon.

"Well, when I see you with that puppy face of course I feel bad," she lamented, hiccupping.

"What… this puppy face?" His green eyes darkened and drooped as he stuck his bottom lip out, forming the face that tended to make Emma gooey from sight.

"Stop it." Emma bit the inside of her mouth, struggling to keep her sombre face. She covered her face with her hands.

"This sweet, innocent puppy face?" Tearing her hands away from her face, he leaned over her, bottom lip protruding further.

"Will…" A tiny, pursed smile crossed her lips.

"The puppy face is making Emma smile… smile Em." Will removed the stray red strands of hair stuck to her cheek. He could tell she was doing everything in her power not to smile, but she was failing.

"No, I don't want to." Her face disagreed with her. Emma's eyes glistened; her cheeks rising from a smile that wouldn't quit. Will wasn't quitting either. As the corners of her lips curled upwards, he planted a soft kiss on her mouth. He waited for Emma's response, and received it wholeheartedly.

He laughed.

"What?" Emma asked, smiling.

"I can't believe you called me Noah Puckerman."

She swept her thumb across his eyebrow to his temple. "It seemed fitting at the time."

"I'm not as 'badass' as him. And getting laid isn't always on my mind. But I get where you're coming from."

"It slipped out. You totally are 'badass' though." Emma kissed the freckle on his nose. "Although tonight, I would probably replace 'bad' with 'jack'."

"I wouldn't blame you if you did. I acted like one." Will replayed the events and yes, Emma was right.

"And I overreacted. I guess we both got a taste for what's in store over the coming months." Emma's eyes welled up again. "P-please be patient with me. Because I have no idea how my hormones are going to affect my reactions."

"Hey. Firstly, hormones and mood swings are going to happen. Secondly, it's okay; I'll understand if you do, especially if I go down the jackass path. Thirdly, I'll love and support you whether you're a banshee or a beauty." Will sweetly kissed her lips.

Contentment settled on Emma's face. She wiped away the tears with the base of her hand. "Love you."

"Love the both of you." Their unspoken apologies were met with another slow kiss.

She caressed his cheek. "Will… may I ask a favour or two?"

"Ask away."

Emma opened the top drawer of her bedside table and pulled out a clear bottle with pale pink liquid. "As my tummy gets bigger, my skin is going to stretch. I was thinking you could rub this on me every morning and evening to help reduce stretchmarks. That way you can have some baby time and I don't get my hands all oily. That is, if you want to."

He nodded. He wanted to. "Would you like me to do it now?"

"Yes please." Emma raised her pink nightie to just below her breasts. Will took the white lid off the bottle and poured a couple of drops on her stomach, rubbing gently. His cautious, clockwise movements were soothing and relaxing. Emma's tummy was flat but firm, the protective layer around the womb keeping their baby safe.

"How's that?" Will asked when he was done, pulling her nightie down and covering her with the sheets.

"That was lovely." She took the bottle from him and placed it back in the drawer. Will had done such a good job; Emma was finding it incredibly difficult to keep her eyes open anymore.

"What was the other favour?"

"Can you hold me tonight?"

"Of course. I thought you'd never ask. Turn off the light." The lights went out. Will cuddled Emma into his body, his arm overlapping hers. They closed their eyes, breathing in time with each other.

Lying in the darkness, Emma whispered, "Do you think that baby heard us?"

"Mm… I don't think so honey." He weaved their fingers together.

"How can you be sure?"

He yawned. "Sweet Pea should be sound asleep. It's way past the little one's bedtime. And it's time we got some sleep too. We've gotta look good for the baby tomorrow."

"The baby. I can't wait to see our little creation. Good night, love." Emma shifted Will's hand to her stomach, holding it in place. He kissed her shoulder.

"Night sweetheart."

Good thoughts tumbled through Emma's mind in the moments before she dozed off to sleep. Eight weeks pregnant. She couldn't believe it. And tomorrow they were going to see the first images of their Sweet Pea.

Time was flying.


End file.
